Car truck



K. M. HAMILTON CAR TRUCK 2 Shets sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1929 1 I l l l l ll 1 l l I l l 1 l l l I I l 1 I l I I I L \r.| |ll..||||

4 W m] Mm Z W w p 3 1931. K. M. HAMILTON 1,825,396

CAR TRUCK Filed NOV. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZZ/zf 2 71655 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 1 UNITED! QF J KARL M. HAMILTON, or omcneo; rLIliNors. AssIGNoaToaIinBET'rENnoRr collrnnmor nn'rrnnnonr, rowA. Aconroimrron or IOWA can TRUCK:

n ncationniea November 27,".192'a Seria1;1o.4 1( ),055. v i

My invention relates-toimprovements on car trucks, and more particularly to car trucks'of the swing motiontype.

. An object of my inventionis lto provi'de an '5 efficient, strong and durable 'swlng motlon truck wherein the spring plank consists of a casting supported from thetransom by swing links to provide for lateral or side motion,

and having integral springseats" and trunnionsforined atits ends for pivotal connection with the swing links. H IAnother object of the invention is to' provide an improved spring p1ank,'w1th whichis combined the spring seats and trunnion bearings inone single unit capable of be ng cast as a single piece, thereby eliminating 'the handlingand assembling of numerous parts, and reducing the cost of manufacture. 1 Other objects of myinvention'w ll appear hereinafter. i r

'In theaccompanyingdraW1ngs,

Fig. 1 is a" vertical transverse section through one side portion of a car truck embodying my invention; i

Fig. 2 is a vertical section,.substant1allyon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; g

i Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one end portion of the spring plank unit casting; and

. Fig. 4. isa perspectiveview of the-portlon of the springplank unitshown in F ig.3. f

I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in the drawings a complete truck, inasmuch as the invention willbe apparent from the .parts shown. It is understood thattheother sideof the truck is similar drawings. A a a The truck shown inxthe drawings. comprises, in general, the side frame A, transom B, bolster C, elliptic springs D, and; the springplank E. V I p I The side framemayibe ,Ofyth, standard cast type havinganintegral upper archabar 10 and a lowerarchbar 11 of channeled or .U -shaped construction, and having vertically disposed guide columns 13- spaced apart to form, in conjunction with the upper and 'lower arch bars, a substantially rectangular opening within, which the hollow ends of the transom B are positioned. a V .1; 50 i l The transom; casting comprises: Ftwo; subto that'shown; in the stantially horizontally disposed channeled beams 12 which extend from side frame to side frame of the truck. These beams are spaced apart and are'substantially parallel at their end portions. The end frame sections ofthe transom are integrally formed at the ends of'thebearns and comprise the top cross connecting member 14, bottom cross connecting member lfi, and th'e two upright side members 16. The bottom member 15 rests uponthe upper surfacel? of the lower arch bar,:and has,- Fig. 1, a hollow boss18 which extends down between the flangesofthelower arch bar to interlock the side frame and transom against displacement. The relative height of the Window opening and side frame,

and therectangular end SeCtlOIlfOftlle transomisrsuch that'the end'frame can be inserted into the window opening and then dropped down to interlock the boss 18 with the lower arch bar. i

' The bolster C may be ofany suitable type for use 1n connection with lateral motion trucks. The bolster'is positioned between i the transom beams. The ends of the bolster bear upon the upper members of the full elli tic springs D which extend transverse to t e plane-of the side frames, the springsextendingth'rough the hollow end frame sectionsof the transom and beyond'the side frames. The ends of the bolster have downwardly extend- 111g lugs 22 which straddle the spring and prevent relative displacement of the spring and bolster, the lugs being spaced apart to accommodate the spring band 24which binds the leavesof the spring together.

The spring plank E extends transversely of the truck beneath the transom andbolster, and is suspended at its ends from the transom by means of the parallel suspension links 25. A pair-of these links are provided at each end of the structure and the links are disposed at thesides'of the spring plank. The upper ends of the "links pass, upwardly through suitable slots or openings 26 in the transom beamsand are'pivot'ally connected to the transom beams by the pivot'pins Q'ZreSting-in suitable b earingsformed in the transom-beams. IThe spring plankE-is in the form of an integral body casting 30 having integral'upstanding flanges 31 at its edges to form a channel construction. At its end portions, the spring plank has three depending cross ribs 32 parallelly disposed transversely of the body portion and formed integrally with the body casting. The end portions-33 of the two outerribs extend beyond the width of the body casting and are brought upwardly to form diagonal braces merging with the side flanges of the casting. The intermediate rib terminates flush with the side flanges-so as not to interfere with the lower ends of the suspension links.

The end portions 3st of theside flanges 31 are thickened wherethey merge with the rib.- braces 33 to strengthenthe structure at .these points and to provide a substantial connection for the lugs 35 which are positioned between the rib braces 33.

The trunnionlugs are integral with the thickened portions 34 of the side flanges and are axially aligned with each other trans versely of the plank. They project outwardly from the thickened portions 34 and are preferably substantially round in cross section, except their outer end portions, which ,are elongated vertically to form flange heads .36 which prevent the suspension links from becoming displaced or disconnected from the trunnion lugs. The lower ends of the suspension links have elongated slots 37 correspond- ,ing to the shape of the flange heads 36, so that in assemblingthe structure the flange heads are passed through the slots inthe links and the plank then dropped downwardly until the lugs rest in the lower ends of said slots. The upper surfaces 38 of the end portions of the plank between the thickened portions of theflanges serve as spring seats for supporting the lower sections of the spring memlugs are spaced apart to form the recesses 40 which accommodate the spring bands l1.

Variations in height of the springs, occas'ioned by set in the springs or by variations in the manufacture of the parts, may be readily compensated for by the use. of shims interposed between the spring bands and the spring seat surfaces 38. These shims 42 may be in the form of flat plates. of suitable thickness such as illustrated in Fig. l, and are .placed with their ends in the recesses 40 to prevent their displacement;

I am aware that changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the in.- vention, and I hereby reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the'appended claims.

1. In a car truck, the combination of a transom, suspension members mounted on said transom, a spring plank beneath the transom having laterally extending integral trunnion lugs supported in said suspension members, and means for holding said suspension members in detachable relation to said lugs.

2. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body casting having upstanding angu- .lar flanges adjacent its end to define a spring seat therebetween, and integral trunnion lugs axially aligned and outstanding from said flanges.

3. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body casting having upstanding flanges adjacent its end to form a spring seat therebetween, integral trunnion lugs axially aligned and outstanding from said flanges, and instanding lugs on said flanges above the body casting,.to retain a spring on said spring seat.

4. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body casting having upstanding flanges adjacent its end to form a spring seat therebetween, integral trunnion lugs axially aligned and outstanding from said flanges, and integral cross ribs on said body casting.

5. ,A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a. channeled body casting, integral outstanding trunnion lugs; on its side edges adjacent. its end, and having elongated heads isxtending' transversely to the axis of said ugs.

6. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body casting having integral upstanding flanges to provide a spring seat therebetween on the upper side of said body, in-

tegral instanding lugs on said flanges for interlocking engagement with a spring member, integral parallel cross ribs on the under side of said body portion and extending up along the. outside: of said flanges, and integral trunnion lugs. projecting outwtardly from said flanges between said ribs.

7. A one-piece spring plank structure for railway trucks, a body portion having up standing flanges at its sides adjacent its ends and instanding' lugs spaced apart on said flanges to define a spring seat, and transverse reinforcing elements on its under side and integrally connected with said flanges.

8. A one piece spring plank structure for railway tracks, a body portion having upstanding flanges at its sides adjacent its ends and instand'ing' lugs spaced apart on said flanges to define a spring seat, transverse reinforcing elements on its under side and integrally connected with said flangesand body plate having upstanding integral flanges at its sides adjacent its ends and spaced instanding lugs on said flanges above said body to define a spring retaming seat, integral transverse ribs extending beneath the body and upwardly into merging relation,

with said flanges, and integral outstanding trunnion lugs on said flanges positioned between said ribs.

In witness that I claim the fore oing I have hereunto subscribed my name t is 2nd day of November, 1929.

KARL M. HAMILTON. 

